H.R. 7846: Halo Act

This bill, known as the Halo Act, aims to establish a new criminal penalty for individuals who obstruct immigration enforcement activities. Here are the key components of the bill:

Definitions

• Federal Immigration Enforcement Officer: This term refers to any officer, agent, or employee of the United States who is authorized to carry out the enforcement of federal immigration laws. This includes activities such as the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of violations of immigration laws.
• Harass: This is defined as knowingly engaging in actions directed at a federal immigration enforcement officer that cause substantial emotional distress and do not serve any legitimate purpose.

Unlawful Actions

The bill makes it illegal for a person to:

• Approach or remain within 25 feet of a federal immigration enforcement officer who is performing their legal duties, after having received a verbal warning not to do so.
• Impede or interfere with the officer's ability to perform their legal duties.
• Threaten the officer with physical harm.
• Harass the officer.

Penalties

If a person violates these provisions, they could face:

• A fine under Title 18 of the United States Code.
• Imprisonment for up to 5 years.
• Or both a fine and imprisonment.

Technical Amendments

The bill also includes amendments to the existing legal framework to formally incorporate the new section addressing obstructing immigration enforcement activities within the relevant chapter of the U.S. Code.

Overall Purpose

The primary goal of the Halo Act is to deter and penalize actions that would obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts, thereby enhancing the ability of immigration enforcement officers to carry out their duties without interference.

Relevant Companies

None found